5 Best Weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact

Today, we’re looking at the best weapon choices for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact!

Whether you love her or hate her, you have to admit the Electro Archon of Inazuma is one of the strongest playable characters in Genshin Impact. Both her Elemental Skill and Burst make her very adaptable and able to fit in most team comps. She’s especially a fantastic addition to Dendro-Reaction teams. While she’s definitely worth Wishing for, figuring out what to build on her can be tough.

Foreword

Raiden Shogun using her burst.
Image: Hoyoverse via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

Before we get into the best weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact, let’s get some housekeeping out of the way.

Raiden Shogun is one of the most versatile characters in the game which means there are many ways you can play her. Which is great! But it also means there are loads of weapon options that can work well with her. Some will work better than others depending on your specific character build and the type of role she has on your team.

Our list is going over the general best weapons for Raiden Shogun, though any of them should work well regardless of what build you run on her. Below you’ll find the best 4-star and 5-star polearm weapon options for Raiden Shogun along with some information about their stats, effects, and why they work with her.

Unfortunately, not all of the weapons on our list will be available all the time. Some are only available during limited-run banners. Which means that if you don’t already have them, it could be a while before you’ll get the chance to obtain them.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. You’ll probably have plenty of time to save up primogems for the next time the weapon is available without needing to open your wallet. Just keep an eye on the weapon banners and you’ll come across them sooner or later.

How to Choose a Weapon for Raiden Shogun

Raiden Shogun contemplating her choice of weapon.
Image: Hoyoverse via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

Before you pick a weapon for Raiden Shogun, you’ll want to think about how you’re going to play her. She works well as a DPS, Sub-DPS, and Support, so you’re going to need to have an idea of which role you want her as on your team. Once you know that you can really begin your build.

Stats

In general, Raiden Shogun wants high Energy Recharge and CRIT stats. While her best weapon can change depending on her role, most of her builds will prioritize those stats. Which means if you’re having a hard time picking a weapon for her, it’s safe to go with a weapon that will improve those stats.

Raiden Shogun is a powerhouse of a character, so you’ll also want to look into 4-star and 5-star weapons. The 1-3-star polearm options aren’t really going to be worth equipping on her, since they don’t have effects suited to her and generally have sub-par stats. 

Catering Raiden Shogun’s Weapon to Your Build

Like we mentioned above, Raiden Shogun is a great character for DPS, Sub-DPS, and even Support roles. Each of those roles will have slightly different priorities when creating a character build, so you’ll want to keep them in mind when choosing a weapon.

Regardless of her role though, Raiden Shogun’s strongest move is her Elemental Burst. Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu deals incredibly high AoE Electro DMG while also switching Raiden Shogun’s weapon to her sword (the Musou Ishin) for 7 seconds. 

While wielding her Musou Ishin, Raiden Shogun gets a ton of buffs and effects. Firstly, her resistance to interruption will be increased and her attacks will be infused with Electro DMG. Her Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack DMG is also considered Elemental Burst DMG. Whenever she wields her Musou Ishin, Raiden Shogun is immune to Electro-Charged DMG. 

On top of all that, when she hits enemies with her Musou Ishin, Raiden Shogun will also regenerate Energy for the party once every second up to five times. It may not sound like a lot, but it does make her a fantastic battery for other characters who require a lot of Energy to use their Elemental Bursts.

Takeaway

Basically, Raiden Shogun’s Elemental Burst is something you want to prioritize using regardless of her role on your team. The best weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact are without a doubt ones that will increase or buff her Elemental Burst DMG. Hence, why Energy Recharge and CRIT stats are the key stats to look for. 

5 Best Weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact, Ranked

Now that you know what to look for generally, let’s talk about the specific best weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact!

We’ve ranked the best overall 4-star and 5-star weapons for Raiden Shogun below from good to perfect

5/5

Dragon’s Bane (4-Star Polearm)

Image: Hoyoverse via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

Starting off our list of the best weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact is the 4-star polearm Dragon’s Bane!

While this polearm is a good weapon choice for the Electro Archon, you’ll need to take into consideration how you’re using her. Dragon’s Bane is meant solely for character and team builds focused on Elemental Reactions. Builds that are instead focused on dealing high damage with Elemental Bursts will not find a whole lot of worth with this particular weapon.

Stats & Effects

The Dragon’s Bane isn’t very impressive as far as Base ATK or even main effects go. At level 90 it only reaches 454 ATK. The only polearms with lower Base ATks are 1, 2, and 3-star weapons.

Its main effect, Bane of Flame and Water, increases DMG against enemies affected by Hydro or Pyro by 20%. Not too bad if enemies affected by Electro also took increased DMG but it only kicks in for Hydro and Pyro. 

If the effect and Base ATK are both so bad, why are we recommending the Dragon’s Bane as one of the best weapon choices for Raiden Shogun then? It all comes down to its secondary stat. Rather than ATK% or Energy Recharge, the Dragon’s Bane increases its wielder’s Elemental Mastery by 221 at level 90.

Even other 5-star weapon types max out at just 265 Elemental Mastery so getting 221 is pretty darn good for a highly accessible 4-star weapon. That much Elemental Mastery is going to be fantastic for Elemental Reaction DMG, especially since Raiden Shogun can trigger Elemental Reactions so easily with her Skill.

Drawbacks

As we touched on earlier, the biggest drawback to the Dragon’s Bane is that it is only useful in teams built for Elemental Reactions. This can be a really great build for Raiden Shogun, but it’s a lot less intuitive of a build than focusing on her Elemental Burst and upping Energy Recharge. 

Also the Dragon’s Bane is pretty much only good for its secondary stat. Its Base ATK and main effect are honestly just bad. You can get some use out of its effect if you have a good off-field Hydro or Pyro applier on your team, but it can be hard to find good characters for that.

Players wanting to focus on Elemental Reactions with Raiden Shogun will probably want to invest in a Raiden Hyperbloom team. Having high Elemental Mastery and a good off-field Hydro applier will come naturally with that kind of team build and help you get the most out of the Dragon’s Bane.

Materials

To fully ascend the Dragon’s Bane, you will need:

  • 150k Mora
  • 3 Mist Veiled Lead Elixir
  • 9 Mist Veiled Mercury Elixir
  • 9 Mist Veiled Gold Elixir
  • 4 Mist Veiled Primo Elixir
  • 15 Mist Grass Pollen
  • 18 Mist Grass
  • 27 Mist Grass Wick
  • 10 Divining Scroll
  • 15 Sealed Scroll
  • 18 Forbidden Curse Scroll

4/5

Wavebreaker’s Fin (4-Star Polearm)

Image: Hoyoverse via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

Taking the next spot on our list is the Wavebreaker’s Fin! It’s a decent weapon for more traditional Raiden Shogun builds and doesn’t require as many resources as some of the other weapons out there. 

This polearm is pretty good for players who aren’t placing a lot of priority on Raiden Shogun. It works well with her kit and usually isn’t too hard to get. There are definitely some other options out there that will do more though. 

Stats & Effects

For Raiden Shogun builds in a DPS role, the Wavebreaker’s Fin is a pretty good choice. Its Base ATK stat maxes out at 620, which is the highest ATK of any 4-star polearm and is even higher than some 5-star options too.

Unfortunately the secondary stat is far less impressive. At level 90, Wavebreaker’s Fin can increase a character’s ATK by a total of…. 13.8%. Pretty disappointing to be honest. While its Base ATK may be among the highest polearm stats, the secondary ATK stat is also among the lowest. 

While the secondary ATK stat definitely leaves something to be desired, the really important part of this weapon is its effect. Watatsumi Wavewalker increases the wielder’s Elemental Burst DMG by 0.12% of the entire party’s Energy capacity. That may not sound like a lot but it can mean a max 40% DMG buff directly to her Elemental Burst which is truly impressive. 

If you manage to refine the Wavebreaker’s Fin, that max Elemental Burst DMG buff can be increased all the way up to 80%!

Drawbacks

The Elemental Burst DMG buff granted from the Wavebreaker’s Fin is pretty impressive and does make it worth using. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support Energy Recharge which means you’ll need to compensate to actually make use of said buff. You’ll either need to go all in on Energy Recharge artifacts or build your team around increasing Energy generation.

Regardless of your weapon choice, Raiden Shogun is a character who needs high Energy Recharge. Many players use her to generate Energy for the party so having to use the party to generate Energy for her isn’t going to work the best with most teams. It can be done, but it’s going to require some extra thought in your team comps.

Materials

To fully ascend the Wavebreaker’s Fin, you will need:

  • 150k Mora
  • 3 Mask of the Wicked Lieutenant
  • 9 Mask of the Tiger’s Bite
  • 9 Mask of the One-Horned
  • 4 Mask of the Kijin
  • 15 Concealed Claw
  • 18 Concealed Unguis
  • 27 Concealed Talon
  • 10 Old Handguard
  • 15 Kageuchi Handguard
  • 18 Famed Handguard

3/5

The Catch (4-Star Polearm)

The Catch - best free to play weapon for Raiden Shogun
Image: Hoyoverse via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

The hands down best free to play weapon for Raiden Shogun is the 4-star polearm The Catch. It’s an all around great weapon, so we definitely recommend investing some time to nab it even if you go with another polearm option for Raiden Shogun. 

It will take some time to obtain since it can only be gained from the Inazuma Fishing Association, but we promise it is well worth it.

Stats & Effects

Right off the bat, The Catch is an excellent choice for Raiden Shogun. Its primary ATK stat tops out at 510 which is alright but its secondary stat increases her Energy Recharge by 45.9%. Only one other 4-star polearm even comes close to that amount of Energy Recharge.

On top of increasing Raiden Shogun’s Energy Recharge, The Catch’s main effect also directly buffs her Elemental Burst. Shanty increases Elemental Burst DMG by 16% and Elemental Burst CRIT Rate by 6%. At max refinement (which is easily doable as a completely free to play weapon), Elemental Burst DMG is increased by 32% and Elemental Burst CRIT Rate is increased by 12%. 

Free buffs directly to the strongest part of Raiden Shogun’s kit? And in a free to play weapon? Hard to get better than that. 

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback to The Catch is that it takes a while to actually obtain. Especially if you’re still in the early game. Players will need to not only reach Inazuma, they’ll also need to catch enough fish to purchase the weapon and its refinement materials. Which will take a while and doesn’t even factor in the time and resources needed to level it up.

Materials

To purchase The Catch you will need:

  • 6 Raimei Angelfish
  • 20 Golden Koi
  • 20 Rusty Koi

To purchase one Ako’s Sake Vessel (The Catch’s Refinement Materials) you will need:

  • 3 Raimei Angelfish
  • 10 Pufferfish
  • 10 Bitter Pufferfish

To fully ascend The Catch, you will need:

  • 150k Mora
  • 3 Mask of the Wicked Lieutenant
  • 9 Mask of the Tiger’s Bite
  • 9 Mask of the One-Horned
  • 4 Mask of the Kijin
  • 15 Chaos Gear
  • 18 Chaos Axis
  • 27 Chaos Oculus
  • 10 Spectral Husk
  • 15 Spectral Heart
  • 18 Spectral Nucleus

2/5

Staff of Homa (5-Star Polearm)

Staff of Homa - best weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact
Image: Hoyoverse via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

The runner up for polearm options on our list of the best weapons for Raiden Shogun is the 5-star Staff of Homa!

This polearm is hands down one of the best overall, so if you main any polearm characters, it’s probably not a bad idea to snag this one when you have the chance.

Stats & Effects

Unlike many of the other weapon choices for Raiden Shogun, the Staff of Homa is all about direct offense. Its Base ATK maxes out at 608 while its secondary stat increases CRIT DMG by an impressive 66.2%.

The Staff of Homa’s main effect, Reckless Cinnabar, pushes you to play a bit dangerously. The character wielding this weapon will have their HP increased by 20% and it will also grant them an ATK bonus based on 0.8% of their Max HP which is pretty decent. The dangerous part though is that when the wielding character’s HP is below 50%, they get an add ATK bonus based on 1% of their Max HP.

Drawbacks

While the Staff of Homa is a very powerful weapon it doesn’t have a lot that works directly with Raiden Shogun’s kit. The ATK bonus is great and certainly does a lot to increase Raiden Shogun’s DMG potential but it also forces players to consider a couple things.

While you could invest in HP stats on your artifacts to increase the Staff’s bonus, it’s generally advised to continue focusing on Energy Recharge and CRIT stats for more overall damage. Though having the Staff does help offset the sting of getting only upgrades to your HP substats on your artifacts.

If you choose not to go all in on Raiden Shogun’s HP but still want to activate the extra 1% of Max HP bonus, you’ll need to very carefully manage her HP level. If you lack a reliable shielder, this can get very dangerous and lead to her getting knocked out more often than not.

Materials

To fully ascend the Staff of Homa, you will need:

  • 225k Mora
  • 5 Grain of Aerosiderite
  • 14 Pieces of Aerosiderite
  • 14 Bit of Aerosiderite
  • 6 Chunk of Aerosiderite
  • 23 Dead Ley Line Branch
  • 27 Dead Ley Line Leaves
  • 41 Ley Line Sprout
  • 15 Slime Condensate
  • 23 Slime Secretions
  • 27 Slime Concentrate

1/5

Engulfing Lightning (5-Star Polearm)

Engulfing Lightning - best weapon for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact
Image: Hoyoverse via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

Unsurprisingly, the absolute best weapon for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact is her signature polearm, the 5-star Engulfing Lightning!

Stats & Effects

Engulfing Lightning’s stats are pretty darn good, which is expected of a signature 5-star weapon. Its ATK stat tops out at a very respectable 608 and its secondary stat increases Energy Recharge by an astonishing 55.1%. As of Version 3.7 that makes it the highest ER polearm in the game.

Engulfing Lightning’s main effect Timeless Dream: Eternal Stove increases its weilder’s ATK by 28% of their Energy Recharge stat above 100%. This buff can grant an incredible max bonus of 80% ATK. Energy Recharge is also increased by 30% for 12 seconds after using an Elemental Burst. 

This is the poelarm for Elemental Burst characters like Raiden Shogun. Not only does it basically eliminate downtime between Elemental Burst uses, it also increases ATK to increase the damage dealt by those Elemental Bursts. 

You’ll still have to wait out the Burst cooldown times of course, but that just gives you plenty of time to rotate through your team. 

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback to Engulfing Lightning is that it can be pretty hard to get your hands on it. Since it’s only available during Raiden Shogun’s weapon banner, it means using twice as many primogems if you’re also trying to get Raiden Shogun herself. 

Refining 5-star weapons is also a huge resource sink and impossible to do unless you save up for at least a year… or unless you’re willing to spend hundreds of real dollars. 

Another drawback to Engulfing Lightning is that it is focused pretty solely on Energy Recharge which may not necessarily mesh with your team build. Teams focusing more on Elemental Reactions may find it more useful to equip Raiden Shogun with an Elemental Mastery weapon instead. 

Materials

To fully ascend Engulfing Lightning, you will need:

  • 225k Mora
  • 5 Mask of the Wicked Lieutenant
  • 14 Mask of the Tiger’s Bite 
  • 14 Mask of the One-Horned
  • 6 Mask of the Kijin
  • 23 Chaos Gear
  • 27 Chaos Axis
  • 41 Chaos Oculus
  • 15 Old Handguard
  • 23 Kageuchi Handguard
  • 27 Famed Handguard

Join the High Ground!

That’s our list of the best weapons for Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact! Have you found something that works better? Let us know in the comments below and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter!

For more character weapon guides in Genshin Impact, check out our guide on the best weapons for Zhongli here or the best weapons for Kaedehara Kazuha here!

Until next time, ad astra abyssosque and happy gaming!

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